Criminals could use robot burglars to break into homes avoiding security systems and locked doors, scientists have warned.

The tiny “burglar bots” could enter through a cat flap or letter box and then send information to the thief about what’s inside and whether anyone is home.

They could even fetch the resident’s keys.

The idea is similar to 2012 sci-fi movie Robot & Frank about an ageing jewel thief who uses a robot to commit one last job.

The alarming prospect is now just one area in which scientists and police think AI could be used by villains in the future.

They believe more advanced machines could use the technology to search for valuables, or cash, using cameras to scan and assess rooms.

The robots could also be used to determine whether anybody is at home, relaying the information to the thief who could then break in if the coast is clear.

Researchers at University College London identified bot burglars as one of 20 ways AI could be used to facilitate crime over the next 15 years.

Another concern is “deepfake” videos and images that could be used to exploit and blackmail victims.

Other AI-enabled crimes could include using driverless vehicles as weapons, harvesting online information for the purposes of large-scale blackmail and AI-authored fake news.

Professor Shane Johnson said: “It is imperative that we anticipate future crime threats so that policy makers and other stakeholders with the competency to act can do so before new ‘crime harvests’ occur.”